Including Arts Practices in a Policy Framework to Reduce the Burden of Neurodegenerative Disease: dance for people with Parkinson’s

TY - JOUR

T1 - Including Arts Practices in a Policy Framework to Reduce the Burden of Neurodegenerative Disease

T2 - dance for people with Parkinson’s

AU - Houston, Sara

PY - 2024/10/31

Y1 - 2024/10/31

N2 - As cases of Parkinson’s Disease rise in Europe, there is an urgency to reduceits burden on those living with Parkinson’s and on health services. Whilst thesearch for a cure is on-going, and the use of medication is an on-goingexperiment for many people, the engagement with non-pharmaceuticalinterventions is imperative. Under this topic, the 2024 Policy Framework toReduce the Burden of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Europe and Beyondnotes the important role that non-pharmaceutical interventions play. Inexploring in detail the contribution of arts practices, in particular dancing,this paper argues that they have a potentially impactful role to play asnon-pharmaceutical interventions for people with Parkinson’s.This discursive article critically engages with current research discussingwhat factors are important to be considered for the integration of artspractices – in particular dancing - in a successful implementation of aroadmap for better relieving the burden of Parkinson’s. Key points laid outinclude:• It needs to be recognised that arts practices are heterogenous and donot have treatment goals, but do emphasise what the person brings toa process. The lack of standardisation and goals are to be embraced,rather than criticised for being difficult to measure.• The evidence around dancing for people with Parkinson’s is notconclusive, yet largely positively framed.• To increase understanding of what quality of life and relief of burdenfeels like to people with Parkinson’s - and so greater success inimplementing arts practices as NPIs in a Europe-wide policy - abroader range of studies from different disciplines need to be used inresearching or reviewing this area of work; researchers need toactively listen to what matters to people with Parkinson’s and becritically reflective of their own studies consequently.• The Action Plan for non-pharmacological interventions in the PolicyFramework is welcomed. Policy implementation needs to happen inconsultation with dance organisations operating strategically aroundEurope, with people with Parkinson’s and with those who areunderrepresented in Parkinson’s initiatives and dance activity.

AB - As cases of Parkinson’s Disease rise in Europe, there is an urgency to reduceits burden on those living with Parkinson’s and on health services. Whilst thesearch for a cure is on-going, and the use of medication is an on-goingexperiment for many people, the engagement with non-pharmaceuticalinterventions is imperative. Under this topic, the 2024 Policy Framework toReduce the Burden of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Europe and Beyondnotes the important role that non-pharmaceutical interventions play. Inexploring in detail the contribution of arts practices, in particular dancing,this paper argues that they have a potentially impactful role to play asnon-pharmaceutical interventions for people with Parkinson’s.This discursive article critically engages with current research discussingwhat factors are important to be considered for the integration of artspractices – in particular dancing - in a successful implementation of aroadmap for better relieving the burden of Parkinson’s. Key points laid outinclude:• It needs to be recognised that arts practices are heterogenous and donot have treatment goals, but do emphasise what the person brings toa process. The lack of standardisation and goals are to be embraced,rather than criticised for being difficult to measure.• The evidence around dancing for people with Parkinson’s is notconclusive, yet largely positively framed.• To increase understanding of what quality of life and relief of burdenfeels like to people with Parkinson’s - and so greater success inimplementing arts practices as NPIs in a Europe-wide policy - abroader range of studies from different disciplines need to be used inresearching or reviewing this area of work; researchers need toactively listen to what matters to people with Parkinson’s and becritically reflective of their own studies consequently.• The Action Plan for non-pharmacological interventions in the PolicyFramework is welcomed. Policy implementation needs to happen inconsultation with dance organisations operating strategically aroundEurope, with people with Parkinson’s and with those who areunderrepresented in Parkinson’s initiatives and dance activity.

KW - dance

KW - Parkinson's Disease

KW - dance for health

KW - non-pharmacological interventions

KW - disease burden

KW - community dance

KW - arts practices

KW - neurodegenerative disease

UR - https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5755

U2 - 10.18103/mra.v12i10.5755

DO - 10.18103/mra.v12i10.5755

M3 - Article

SN - 2375-1924

VL - 12

JO - European Society of Medicine: Medical Research Archives

JF - European Society of Medicine: Medical Research Archives

IS - 10

M1 - ISSN 2375-1924

ER -